Have you noticed a gain of inches in your midsection while undergoing a stressful period?

Weight gain is also a very common occurrence with chronic stress.

However, weight gained from chronic stress can result in excess abdominal fat and might be a signal that dangerous metabolic processes are taking place in your body.

Let’s take a look.

Subcutaneous Fat Versus Visceral Fat

In last week’s post, I examined a recent study by the University College of London that showed that there’s a high association between chronic stress (as measured by high cortisol hormone levels) and weight gain.

Interestingly, they found that weight gain from stress did not manifest in an increase in subcutaneous fat.

Subcutaneous fat is that pinchable and squishy type of fat that accumulates under your skin.

It provides insulation from the cold, cushioning for your body, storage for extra calories, and is generally found in the arms, legs or buttocks.

In the above study, researchers discovered that weight gained from chronic stress was expressed as fat around the abdominal area.

This type of fat, known as visceral fat, is firmer to the touch and lies deeper in your mid-section.

It can often accumulate around your organs and is considered dangerous by health practitioners.

People who had higher hair cortisol levels also tended to have larger waist measurements, which is important because carrying excess fat around the abdomen is a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, and premature death.

Excess Cortisol Is The Connection Between Stress And Weight Gain

People who had higher levels of cortisol [emphasis mine] present in their hair sample tended to have a larger waist circumference, were heavier, and had a higher BMI, indicating more body fat as opposed to muscle.

It appears that cortisol is the connection between chronic stress and weight gain.

So the important question is does cortisol cause weight gain.

Excess Cortisol Causes Weight Gain

Cortisol is part of a class of steroid hormones called glucocorticoids

A synthetically produced glucocorticoid that acts in the same manner as cortisol is prednisone.

While there may be other pathways yet to be discovered that link high cortisol to weight gain until there is definitive evidence demonstrating how cortisol causes weight gain these mechanisms seem most plausible.

The Takeaway

As we’ve seen, insulin resistance has the potential to cause several metabolically dangerous situations.

If you’re undergoing chronic stress and you’re starting to see weight gain, then it’s paramount to get that stress under control.

I know it’s a lot easier said than done.

If you think any of this applies to you or you think you may be a candidate for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes make sure you see your health professional. And make sure you have an A1C test performed.

In part 3 of this series, I’ll look at how cortisol can increase appetite and thus increase weight gain. I’ll give you some practical things you can do to alleviate chronic stress and the complications caused by it.

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